The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20121104103313/http://animals.nationalgeographic.com:80/animals/mammals/bactrian-camel

P.O. Box 98199

Washington, DC 20090-8199 USA

38.90531943278526, -77.0376992225647

800-647-5463

Inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888

Learn More »

Connect With Us

Main Navigation

Bactrian Camel

Camelus bactrianus

The endangered two-humped Bactrian camel inhabits the deserts of Central and East Asia.

Photograph by George F. Mobley

Map

Bactrian Camel Range

Fast Facts

Type:: Mammal
Diet:: Herbivore
Average life span in captivity:: Up to 50 years
Size:: Over 7 ft (2.1 m) tall at the hump
Weight:: 1,800 lbs (816 kg)
Group name:: Flock or Caravan
Protection status:: Endangered
Did you know?: Bactrian camels give birth usually to just one calf after a gestation period of 12 to 14 months.
Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

Bactrian camels have two humps rather than the single hump of their Arabian relatives. The humps function the same way—storing fat which can be converted to water and energy when sustenance is not available. These humps give camels their legendary ability to endure long periods of travel without water, even in harsh desert conditions. As their fat is depleted, the humps become floppy and flabby.

Bactrian camels live not in shifting Sahara sands but in Central and East Asia's rocky deserts. Temperatures in these locales can become searingly hot—over 100°F (38°C) in summer. Yet they can also drop to –20°F (-29°C) in winter. Bactrian camels have developed special adaptations to allow them to survive in such a brutal environment. One is a thick, shaggy coat that protects them in winter and falls away as seasons change and temperatures rise.

Like Arabian camels, Bactrians rarely sweat, helping them conserve fluids for long periods of time. In winter, plants may yield enough moisture to sustain a camel without water for several weeks.

When camels do refill, however, they soak up water like a sponge. A very thirsty animal can drink 30 gallons (135 liters) of water in only 13 minutes.

Like Arabian camels, Bactrians' nostrils close to keep sand at bay, and their bushy eyebrows and two rows of long eyelashes protect their eyes. Big, flat footpads help them navigate the rough rocky terrain and shifting desert sands without sinking under their own massive bulk or the weight of heavy packs.

The only truly wild camels that still exist are Bactrian camels. These herds survive in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and China but number less than 1,000.

Mammal Videos

More Desert Animals

Mammal Features

Animal Conservation
Find out what National Geographic Society is doing to save animals all over the world, and learn what you can do to help.
Hawaiian Monk Seal Crittercam
The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the oldest species of seal on the planet. But their tenure in paradise is perilously close to its end, only about 1,100 seals remain in the wild.
Lions Quiz
The king of cats rules with a roar and a fierce bite. What else do you know about this top predator?
Cause an Uproar
Big cats are quickly disappearing. Now is the time to act. Cause an uproar to save big cats today.

Please select a test to run

On Nat Geo WILD

TV Schedule »

Animal News

Animals

Animal News

Special Ad Section

Newsletters

From the Magazine

Gannets Pictures
Champion divers but clumsy landers, doting parents but hostile neighbors—northern gannets abound in contradictions.
Estonia's Ural Owls
Photographer Sven Začek provides an intimate view of this large raptor.